Connie Claxton was a pillar of her community, and after 54 years, she hung up her Whataburger uniform for good.
Claxton started working at Whataburger in 1970. Back then, Whataburger cost $1, gas was 36 cents a gallon, Richard Nixon was president, and “Close to You” by The Carpenters was number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
“I used to work at Aetna Life Insurance in downtown Dallas,” she said. “I was paying for a sitter, and it was expensive. Then, once, I ate at Unit 56 at Motley Road and Gus Thomasson, and it was the best burger I ever ate.”
She fell in love with the restaurant's owners, John and Joyce Heiman, who were in their first year of ownership. The three worked side-by-side as the brand grew.
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Claxton eventually worked at 10 locations and was the restaurant's general manager in Terrell.
“Terrell was the highlight of my career,” she said. “I was single, and this gentleman would come in with his special needs son, and I wondered what it would be like to be with someone like him. It was amazing how he took care of that boy.”
Eventually, he worked up the nerve to ask her out and they were married for 30 years until he passed away 11 years ago. That's when she moved to Forney and became a team leader.
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“It’s been a real treat for me,” she said. “I live just two miles from work. I see a lot of the people from my church. It’s been a blessing to be here.”
Manager Laken Haggard said customers notice when "Miss Connie" isn't there.
“She’s just a light to everybody she’s around,” Haggard said. “She’s the same age my grandma would be, and I never knew my grandma. I see her as my work grandma.”
In her retirement, Claxton said she plans to do things with her church friends that she couldn't do before — going to evening church functions, lunch, and playing bingo.
“I’m looking forward to it, but I’m so thankful I’ve worked with some of the most wonderful people,” she said. “I’m leaving on good terms. I have felt like they have always taken care of me.”
